From the Rectory 4 Weekday Services 3 Benefice News 5 Sunday Services 68 Diary 67 Burton Bradstock 20 Littlebredy 27 Litton Cheney 30 Long Bredy 28 Puncknowle, Swyre & West Bexington 26 Shipton Gorge 17 Valley Notes 6 Crossword 36 Sudoku 37 To place commercial advertisements in BRIDE VALLEY NEWS, email: b v c t c@outlook . com (but without any spaces) ADVERTISING DEADLINE FOR THE NOVEMBER ISSUE IS 5TH OCTOBER MUST BE SENT TO VILLAGE CORRESPONDENTS, (contact details shown at the head of each Village Section) BY FOR THE ISSUE. Handwritten or typed copy is to be delivered well before the deadline date. Copy sent from outside the Bride Valley may be sent direct to the Editor. Articles, notices and advertisements in this magazine may not necessarily represent or reflect the views of the Editor or the people and organisations which fund and support it. Editor: [email protected] VILLAGE WEBSITES giving details of events, news, history, photographs etc www.burtonbradstock.org.uk www.littoncheney.org.uk www.shiptongorge.org.uk www.puncknowle.net www.swyre.org.uk www.westbexington.org.uk www.littlebredy.com www.longbredy.org.uk Cover Photo: One Down at St Mary’s Litton Cheney—©2016 John Salvetti 2 THE BRIDE VALLEY CHURCHES ST MARY THE VIRGIN: Burton Bradstock ST MARY: Litton Cheney ST MICHAEL & ALL ANGELS: Littlebredy ST PETER: Long Bredy Chilcombe (dedication unknown) ST MARY THE BLESSED VIRGIN: Puncknowle ST MARTIN: Shipton Gorge HOLY TRINITY: Swyre Rector: Canon Stephen Batty The Rectory, Burton Bradstock, DT6 4QS Tel: (01308) 898799 Assistant Priest: The Revd Sue Linford Tel: (01308) 897 Readers: Mike Read Tel: (01308) 897445 James Webster Tel: (01308) 898657 Yvonne Buckland Tel: (01308) 898492 WEEKDAY SERVICES, OCTOBER 2016 Monday 3 9.00 Long Bredy Tuesday 4 9.00 Puncknowle Thursday 6 9.30 Burton Bradstock Thursday 6 10.00 Burton Bradstock Holy Communion Friday 7 8.30 Swyre Monday 10 9.00 Long Bredy Thursday 13 9.30 Burton Bradstock Thursday 13 10.00 Burton Bradstock Holy Communion Thursday 13 19.00 Puncknowle Reflect & Study Monday 17 9.00 Long Bredy Thursday 20 9.30 Burton Bradstock Thursday 20 10.00 Burton Bradstock Holy Communion Monday 24 9.00 Long Bredy Thursday 27 9.30 Burton Bradstock Thursday 27 10.00 Burton Bradstock Holy Communion Thursday 27 19.00 Puncknowle Reflect & Study Friday 28 8.30 Swyre Monday 31 9.00 Long Bredy Tuesday 27 9.00 Puncknowle Thursday 29 9.30 Burton Bradstock Thursday 29 10.00 Burton Bradstock Holy Communion 3 FROM THE RECTORY BURTON BRADSTOCK, DT6 4QS TEL: 01308 898799 Moving here last year and registering with the medical practice at Portesham, I joked that the drive there and back would be a tonic in itself. Recently this proved to be true. Late one afternoon, when I was booked in for an appointment at Portesham, I had the luck of taking the coast road that links Burton Bradstock with Abbotsbury, only to find that a shallow yet dense sea-mist was covering the bay and the soaring coast road made the most perfect platform for looking over it. Well, not perfect as far as responsible road- handling is concerned...which is why, with many other drivers, I took to lay- by hopping, stopping at various viewpoints above East and West Bexington and Cogden, gazing in wonder at the transformation below. There was generally abroad a marvellous sense of shared awe at the sight spreading out beneath us. The mist canopy reflected up at us not just an enchanting light but also a kindly warmth, redoubled and registered on our faces and bare arms. Folk weren't keeping this one to themselves, especially the 'locals' who couldn't recall a precedent for this and were wanting to talk about it. The most common response, shared among strangers, was: “isn't this like flying?” No, not for me. Before any reminder of the lift 4 that aviation offers, this sea mist's trespass brought recollections of paintings and poems from the Chinese tradition. Mist and fog, and the way that these phenomena both hide and reveal familiar features in a landscape is a common motif. That China should have been the place of the recent ratification of the Paris climate change agreement was pleasing, keeping in mind that the Chinese landscape tradition has brought such richness to both East and West. On the day when the coast road took on a Chinese aspect, with Golden Cap and the other summits of coastal West Dorset 'floating' on this sea-mist there was a complete change in the terrain that we think we know well by eye. The biggest change was in Lyme Bay itself: there was no water to be seen, just mist. In the last part of the Bible's Book of Revelation there is a vision of the time to come when there will be no sea. For our Jewish and Christian forebears the sea was a symbol of restless turbulence and violence – for there to be no more sea would mean a time of tranquillity and peace. For us such moments are transitory. But when they happen, as on that late afternoon when our coast road became an otherworldly 'corniche', we can only pull off the road and gaze and share our delight with other gazers. Stephen Batty BENEFICE NEWS ADVANCE INVITATION - NOT TO BE MISSED! We are delighted to be welcoming Anne Claar Thomasson-Rosingh from Sarum College, to spend a day with us again looking at two Great Grandmothers of Jesus, Tamar and Bathsheba. When Anne visited us in the Spring, we had over 50 people and we were spellbound as she unfolded the book of Ruth to us. Please book this date in your diary NOW – for Tuesday 15th November starting 10am [until 4.pm] in St Mary’s church, Bridport. BYO lunch, drinks provided. Tell others too – what a brilliant way to prepare for ADVENT. Donations appreciated. Contact Elfrida Savigear 01308 424031 or [email protected]. Cruse Bereavement Care runs an informal monthly meeting at Bridport Hospital for any who have been bereaved. Feel free to drop in any time between 10.00am and 12.00 on the 3rd Friday of each month for a “cuppa” and a chat. Contact Diana Wright 01308 456 967 5 VALLEY NOTES THORNER’S CE VA SCHOOL Welcome to the new academic year. We are pleased that the new Reception children have settled in well, as have the other children in their new year groups. The children had their first outing of the year, and the Reception children on their fourth day in school, for our Church service. Thank you to the readers and all who help prepare the church. Eggardon have been making and testing parachutes! The children have been enjoying football training and a range of clubs: sport, choir, gardening, Eco and Forest School. We look forward to a busy and enjoyable term. Jyotsna Chaffey, Headteacher 6 BURTON BRADSTOCK CE VC SCHOOL We have had a brilliant start to the Autumn term and the children have returned to school happy and refreshed after their Summer holiday. We have welcomed 10 new children and their families to the school as they join the Reception class as well as one family into Year 1. The children have settled quickly into the routines of the school and have eagerly engaged with their lessons and learning. At present we have 76 children on roll. This term our teaching will be delivered through the Learning Quest ‘Forest Adventure’. As an entry point into the topic, and to help inspire the children, the children visited the Magdalen Project and had lots of fun taking part in forest school activities. For more information about this term’s learning the plan is available on the school website. At the start of the term some of the children also took part in the Veast of Folk Festival to support the RNLI. The children sang beautifully and were accompanied by Daisy Wardle on the guitar. Not only did the children enjoy singing to an audience but they helped to raise £600 towards a worthy cause. With the Summer now starting to leave us we turn our thoughts to the Autumn and our Harvest Festival. This will take place on Friday 7th October at 9.15am in St Mary’s Church. All are warmly invited to attend. 7 We will be holding an Open Morning next month for parents/carers of children due to start in Reception in September 2017. If you are looking for a school for next September for a Reception child we would love to show you around our school. We also have spaces available in other year groups. Please contact us for further details on 897369. Claire Staple Headteacher TOTS AND PRAM SERVICE An informal friendly service for all tots, babies and bumps and their parents/carers is held at St Mary’s Church Burton Bradstock on the second Friday of each month (except August) at 2.15 pm. It includes singing, activities, story time, refreshments and playtime. You’re welcome to the service to be held on Friday 14h October. For more information about the tots events please contact either Audrey on 897227 or Heather on 897780. FIRST STEPS TODDLER GROUP We invite any parents, grandparents or carers of children from babies until 4 years old along to our lovely toddler group. We have a good selection of toys and soft play equipment. We provide snacks and tea or coffee for the bargain price of £2! Please come along and support the group as we only have a small number at the moment.